December Hearts
by Loveforthestory
Summary: A story about December Hearts, attraction, snow, gifts, whiskey and love.
1. Chapter 1

**Dear Lemon, this is my story for you, written for a Very Charloe Christmas, 2015. One of your prompts inspired me to start the story I wanted to tell. You will find that prompt in this first chapter. _December hearts_ is a story to celebrate December, sizzling chemistry and love. You are a beautiful and talented person and I love the passion you put into all of your stories. Thank you for sharing that talent and for being such a good and kind friend. It was an honour to write this story for you. I loved writing this gift and I spend a lot of blissful hours behind my laptop with a lot of coffee ( and yes, I will admit, a lot of chocolate too). I hope you enjoy this story. Wishing you a magical December filled with love. love from Love**

* * *

December hearts

Chapter one

Charlie Matheson lets out an irritated sigh as she puts a rebellious lock of hair behind her right ear. The scent of pure December snow is embracing her as she feels how the Chicago winter touches the glowing skin of her cheeks. The many lights of the city around her mix with the snowflakes that fall from the late afternoon sky.

She is slowly losing her patience. Not because she does not like the frosty bite of winter and being outside where it is just her and her thoughts. Not because she does not love spending time with her city.

But because she has to find a Christmas gift. For Miles. And Miles is one of those people who is impossible to find a decent gift for. She loves her uncle. She really does. She has loved his warm deep eyes for as long as she can remember. She cannot image her life without his moodiness and his sarcasm. She cannot imagine her life without her uncle who was the only one that could make her giggle after she had a particular bad day in fourth grade and she had ordered her father to call her uncle Miles on his cell phone. He had been at the airport, ready to catch a flight overseas but he still had taken the time to talk to her.

When her boots make their way through the snow on the sidewalk, there is a warmth glowing inside of her when she thinks about all those times they broke all her parent's rules together. Popcorn for breakfast, staying up late watching movies when he would come over to babysit when her parents had a work thing. She has fond memories from her childhood, and Miles is a part of a lot of them.

She loves him. She really does. But her mood is slowly reaching dangerous territory now she has spent two whole hours in various stores and she has not been able to find _one_ single thing that would be a decent gift for Miles. And she doesn't want something decent. She wants something special for Miles.

She could steal a bottle from her dad's comprehensive whiskey collection, wrap it and call it a day. But this is Miles, _her uncle Miles,_ and for him she is willing to make an effort. A real one.

The city skyscrapers surrounding her are endlessly high as they disappear into grey clouds. Countless soft pastel Christmas lights wrapped around streetlamps and trees are illuminating the streets of Chicago. Some giggling girls with their hands full of shopping bags pass her on the sidewalk and when one of them quite rudely bumps one of her shoulders, Charlie gives the girl a true Matheson glare.

She takes another deep frustrated breath while she takes one more look at the many Christmas decorations and all the shopping from all the people around her. She doesn't do shopping. Her mom never knows when to stop pushing her to get her to join her for all _her_ manic Christmas shopping. But that just isn't her. She'd rather poke her own eyes out. Another wave of irritation hits her. But then a small but very bright smile appears around her lips as an idea is born. It's time to call in some reinforcements.

* * *

Bass is standing in front of the window of his city apartment. Snow is falling. There is a glass of whiskey in his right hand as his eyes are fixed on something in the distance. He lets the whiskey burn in the back of his throat along with the dull familiar pain that is still pulsating around old invisible wounds inside of him.

His phone is somewhere on the couch behind him. After the phone call from hell from half an hour ago he is in no mood to talk to anyone and he had thrown the damn thing away, unable to listen to her damn voice any longer. Unable to listen to another excuse.

They are not together. They never were. She was a first innocent love. Nothing less, nothing more. But a son was born. And he is everything to him. _He_ is what matters. He needs him in his life just as Emma does. _Connor._ He knows Emma's parents had wanted another life for her. But he never had expected them to hold a twenty five year old grudge. He is sick and tired of them manipulating every single holiday so he cannot spend time with his kid.

Bass has enough of feeling like he is not welcome and not enough. He has always made an effort to get along with Emma's parents, _Connor's grandparents,_ even when they made it very clear what they thought of him. Not for Emma. But for Connor.

And even now, when time has moved on and Connor is twenty five and building a life for himself, he does not want his kid having to deal with all of his and Emma's bullshit. And he is frustrated out of his damn mind that he cannot make Emma and her folks see that. The inability from Emma and her parents to see what Connor needs, is enraging him. Family is everything to him and he cannot deal with all their crude waste of family.

So after another phone call from hell from Emma and endless bullshit reasons why he was not welcome for the holidays in Jasper this year , deliberately keeping him away from Connor, Bass had poured himself a glass of whiskey and had let it burn with the sting of the past that would never fully be out of his present.

His phone rings again. And again. He feels irritation running through his veins as it reaches his fingertips wrapped around his glass. He hears how the sound of his phone is reaching him from his couch. He lets out a low irritated breath. The screen lights up in his dark living room. He feels more tension in his jaws. He takes another sip of whiskey. He walks over to the couch to grab the damn thing. He is about to turn it off when an unfamiliar number appears on the screen.

'Yeah?' He pinches the bridge of his nose and his voice is hoarse and gruff at the same time as he answers the call.

'Bass... hey, it's Charlie.'

The strong brightness of the voice, _her voice_ , on the other side of the line is yanking him out of his dark and miserable state of mind. Her voice manages to get through the fucking mess of the last half hour and twenty five years. There is a moment of silence on the other side of the line as he tries to remember how to use his fucking voice.

'Charlie Matheson?' She asks.

As he hears the hesitation in her voice, he curses silently at himself for being such a dick to her. 'Charlie, hey.. ..of course..., what can I do for you?'

* * *

She ignores her beating heart under her deep blue winter coat. She is waiting for Bass in front of the small restaurant where they had agreed to meet each other. She is used to some moody shit when it comes to her uncle. But not when it comes to Bass. His low gruff moodiness was unexpected.

True, she has not seen him for a while. He is a part of her family, a good friend of her dad's, and Miles' best friend. Their connection and bond runs deeper than that. She knows they are brothers and that has never ever changed through the years.

She remembers Bass' warm smile and the way he always made her feel like she mattered even when things were stressful when she was growing up with the pressure of a very sick younger brother. He somehow always made her feel lighter. He still does. She has not seen him for two years because both of their lives have been busy. But she remembers him.

But things change. People change. When she had heard the low roughness in his voice on the other side of the line, it had taken her a couple of seconds to find her balance again within the conversation. When he realized it had been her she had heard some of the familiar warmth in his voice she remembers from Bass. But she is not completely sure anymore this was such a good idea. She curses at herself. He probably thinks she is some kind of charity case. And she hates that idea. She can take care of herself.

There is a cold wave of winter blowing through the streets of Chicago and she moves deeper into her winter coat. She is rethinking this whole _let's ask Bass Monroe for help_ plan. But then, she sees him as his wide shoulders appear between the endless faces passing her. Black leather jacket, scruff, intense blue eyes that are piercing through the late winter afternoon sky and snow around him. And when he sees her, he smiles at her and all her insecurities about whether this was a good plan melt away. This is the Bass she remembers.

She cannot stop the slow burning smile on her face as her eyes meet his. A smile he answers with a huge inviting grin of his own.

'Charlie..' his voice is slow burning warm, just as his greeting when he closes the remaining distance between them.

Charlie has about five whole seconds to think of something to say before he pulls her into a hug. She is pressed against a wide strong chest and meets his spicy scent for the very first time in years.

'Hey Bass...' She smiles as the sounds of the city around her fade to the background. There is only him, her and her beating heart for a couple of seconds.

She tilts her head because of the height difference to meet his eyes as her eyes move over his face and then move on to dark blonde curls. She can smell a faint wave of whiskey on his breath. His scruff still tickles the lines of her jaw even when his jaw is not connected to hers anymore.

'You look good, kid.' Bass voice is a bit gruff and low. He has to swallow at how much of Charlie Matheson is standing in front of him. Long lush blonde curls, lush lips to match deep blue eyes. Jeans, ankle boots, a white scarf around her neck that does something to the blue in those eyes of hers. She is a fucking sight for sore eyes.

Charlie looks at Bass and realizes he is doing what he always does. He is making her feel comfortable in less than one minute. But there is something else. Like the spicy scent of his skin that pulsates through easy blue eyes and the memories of the Bass she remembers. She pushes back a blush that she can feel swirling inside her stomach as it reaches her cheeks. When he smiles at her, the lines around his eyes crinkle with the grin around his mouth.

'You look like hell, Bass.' She ignores that blush as she uses the familiar banter that is somehow always there when they meet as a protective wall between her and whatever happened just inside of her. Her dimple shows when she smirks at him.

She is prepared to face more from the moodiness she encountered when she called him, but there is a grin appearing on his whole face.

'Hungry?' He asks, as he nods to the restaurant behind her. He feels like a fucking dick for being such an asshole to her on the phone earlier. Least he can do is buy her dinner.

'Always.' Charlie grins. He holds the door open when she walks with him into the cosy but low key restaurant.

He is right behind her when they walk to a small table close to the window. His eyes follow her hands as they remove the scarf around her neck. When she shrugs out of her winter coat he scrapes his throat and tells himself to stop focussing on the way her breasts demand his attention. . He is ignoring the way that black tank she is wearing under her woollen snow white cardigan, perfectly follows the lines of her breasts.

He tells himself to focus on the menu. But then he catches her eyes while they move over the menu she is holding in her hands. _Hell_ , she probably does not even realize it herself, but when her tongue moves over her bottom lip as she is deciding what to order, Bass cannot help but notice.

He shifts in his seat. He is already paying way to much attention to her. That fucking smile of hers is already getting him in a whole lot of trouble He scrapes his throat again and is fucking grateful when the waitress brings over their drinks so he can drink his whiskey instead of drinking her in.

He grabs the glass like a lifeline. It gives his hand and his damn mind something other to do than to think about all kinds of sweaty Charlie under him in his damn bed.

'So...you needed some help?' He pulls his thoughts back to a safer place. His eyes light up with the teasing tone in his voice. He knows Charlie. And she can be a lot of things, a handful and a lot of trouble to start with, but she is not someone who asks for help that easily.

'Yeah, I have to find a Christmas gift for Miles for our Christmas dinner at my parent's place this year.'

'Holy hell...' Bass grunts with amusement.

'My thoughts exactly.' Charlie takes a sip of her whiskey, as her fingers touch the cool glass.

Bass grins. He knows his brother and he knows exactly how Charlie feels right the hell now. He takes another sip of his whiskey. 'I'll guess some good old fashioned stripper fun is not an option?'

She does not look away from him. She does not even blink. 'Well, my dad and mom will host that dinner party, I am sure they will be thrilled at the sight of a stripper on Miles' lap.'

'That...' He points to her with his glass of whiskey in his hand, '..is an excellent point Charlie.'

Charlie snorts softly. She hides the fact that the burn in his eyes with her name rolling of his lips in that slow raspy way is a forceful combination. He does things to her that should not be happening to a woman in public.

There is a ghost of a smile playing with her lips as he lets her name roll of his damn lips that he cannot ignore. Bass' mind is trying to figure out what or who the hell had started this thing between them. Hell, he is not going to complain. If she wants to have some fun, he was not going to say no to that.

They both focus on the food and their drinks after that although their eyes keep on meeting across the table.

They talk about memories they both share after being in each other's lives for so long. They talk about the last time they had seen each other as she had grabbed some dinner with him and Miles. He asks her about her work, she asks the same. They talk about Miles, about their city and things are like they have always been between them. Good, light and familiar. Although every time their eyes meet over their dinner Charlie feels something in her heartbeat that tells her not everything is the same.

When his hand brushes her lower back when they leave the restaurant and Bass walks right behind her, she feels a spike of energy rush through her spine and she knows for sure, that there is something new swirling between them.

* * *

They walk through the streets of Chicago together. She is close as his arm brushes her shoulder. He does not know what the hell is going on, but she definitely knows how to play with personal distance. This whole stupid as hell pull to her is insane. The way her smile makes him want to crush her mouth with his too.

She is fast and intelligent and fuck, he does not mind spending some more hours with her. He tells her another story that involves him, Miles and a double date gone horribly wrong. And fuck, it is addictive to see how he can put that gorgeous smile on that stunning face of hers.

She is still laughing when her phone rings. She grabs it out of the pocket of her coat. 'Dad hi...' She looks at Bass, as something lights up in her blue eyes.

Bass is standing close, so close he can hear the voice of Ben Matheson at the other side of the line. Charlie plays with his eyes the whole god damn time she is talking to Ben and he has to swallow at the intensity of the burn of those blue eyes. '...no I am afraid I won't be there for dinner tonight.' Then she grins at him as she keeps on talking to her father on the phone but her eyes never unlock with his. '...there has been a little bit of a delay.'

* * *

One hour and five stores later and Charlie sounds kind of pissed off. 'Well, that's it, Miles is officially a nightmare to find a decent gift for.'

'No shit...told you so.' Bass grumbles, grinning at Charlie's face who is rolling her eyes at him.

He nods to the store not far from them.

'We are not going in there.' Charlie says, not impressed with his suggestion.

'And why the hell not, Charlotte?' Some more blue anger from her eyes meets him when he messes with her, using a nickname for her she had hated from the moment she was four and she told him and Miles exactly what she thought of that name.

'There's books in there. Miles does not do books.' She turns so she is right in front of him, he is close enough to feel his warm breath on her face. So if you think Miles would like a gift coming from that store,' she nods behind her, 'you are seriously delusional.'

She is stubborn and too fucking close and he grunts something back to her. Bass has to swallow at how close her fucking mouth is and how her infuriating Matheson stubbornness is making him want to yank her close and kiss her right the hell here.

'All right then...no books.' Bass grunts. He kind of likes it that she is not afraid to be herself around him _. Like a whole fucking lot_. Her cheeks are red from the cold as her hip brushes his leg for one second.

'So...do we need to talk about strategy?' Bass grunts next to her, as she can see and hear the smile in his voice.

'I think we need more than a good strategy.'

'Well...since you are a Matheson...' there is a smug smirk appearing around his mouth, as he reaches for something inside the pocket of his jacket, 'this might cheer you up.' He hands her a small flask.

She looks from his eyes to his large hand with the flask in it in front of her. Her grin matches his own.

'Thanks...' She discretely takes a small sip, as she lets the whiskey warm her from within. She decides to ignore how Bass' eyes move over her lips as she licks and tastes a small drop of liquid amber from her bottom lip. She also decides to ignore the part of her brain that makes her wonder how _he_ would taste.

She hands him back the flask. Bass really tries to ignore the image of those gorgeous lips and how they were on his flask less than five seconds ago as he takes a sip from his flask. He fucking tries. He fails.

And then, his mind goes into all kinds of fucking stupid mode when he reaches out for that tiny drop of whiskey on her bottom lips as he brushes it away with his thumb.

Charlie does not move. She just watches him with her lips slightly parted and heated challenge in her eyes. His eyes are burning for her when their eyes meet. The warmth of the rougher skin of his thumb gently moves over the sensitive skin of her lip. He is taking his time as everything fades to the background but the steel burning in his eyes together with his touch is what remains.

When she softly but boldly bites his thumb and her lips close around it he loses all self control.

'Fuck this...' It is a low grunt coming from deep within him. He moves her into a small alley behind them and pivots her so her back is against a wall and she is between his thighs.

Charlie lets out a gasp of air when Bass takes control over her and her mouth with his. The moment he pushes her against the wall behind her she truly notices how tall he really is. He knows what he is doing as his experience is making her dizzy. He's fast. And smooth, Charlie thinks with the last functioning part of her rational brain. But not the kind of smooth that would piss her of. He is spicy aftershave and leather and stubble. His left hand is resting against the brick wall she feels pressed against her back, right next to her head.

Then he pulls back. A slow smirk appearing around his mouth and she licks her bottom lip as her eyes go from his eyes to his lips and back to his eyes.

The blue of his eyes turns into a powerful and in control steel blue. It is the slow hungry grin she registers last before his mouth moves over hers again. His mouth is warm and experienced and his tongue slowly explores hers. He takes control as Charlie meets his mouth with hers and shows him what she can do with lush warm female lips.

Bass is taking his time with her. But when her hand demands more when she grabs his jacket and the other finds his lower back fucking close to his ass he is done taking his time. His cock responds dangerously to her. Her being so hungry for his mouth and the way she matches him with her greedy tongue swirling around his, is only turning him on even more.

Charlie hears a low groan coming from the back of Bass' throat and she has to catch her breath within the kiss as she feels his almost primal grunt rush to her knees that start to give out under her. He catches her and keeps her in one place against the wall behind her as she cannot feel her legs anymore. A sensation that has nothing to do with the Chicago winter. It is him and all of him that makes her lose control over what she should do. Which is stop this kiss and stop this insane pull between them without thinking this through, because this is Bass. But her body, her thoughts, her mouth, her hands. They all betray her when she gives in to manly forceful skilled hands.

Bass breaks the kiss as he needs to look at her. He needs to find her eyes again and look at her lush lips. He slowly starts to moves his hand under her coat. He makes a trail from the curve of her hips to her side. He feels fucking sixteen again, as he feels his dick connect with her soft and yet toned thigh.

Charlie sucks in a slow breath as she feels his skilled fingers on the move under her coat. She curses something inside of her head as she feels him hard against her thigh for the very first time in that same breath. Bass keeps his movements slow and yet, they are already making her core respond to him.

Bass is about to move his hand higher, as his fingers ache to touch the line of her right breast as he sees her shiver. When his nose brushes her cheek he feels how cold she is. When he pulls back slowly he sees little snowflakes fall from the Chicago night sky as they land on her eyelashes.

They hear the sound of people and the city around them not far from their hiding place in the shadows of the high building behind them. Nobody notices her standing between his thighs. Nobody notices his hot breath as he is softly panting in her neck from her body connecting with his dick.

'You are freezing.' Bass grunts lowly with warmth in his voice.

'I'm fine.'

'No, you're not.' There is a low gruff determination in his words as he is not taking any of her bullshit. Her stubbornness does even more things to his cock but right now he needs her out of the cold.

When he sees the almost angry look for thinking she cannot deal with a little bit of Chicago cold on her own he has to bite back a smirk. She is one hell of a woman, and _fuck,_ doesn't he want her more for being just her stubborn infuriating self right now.

He can see the surrender in her eyes. He is fucking thankful she agrees to join him so he does not have to drag that damn fine ass of hers out of the cold.

'Come on,' he nods his head to the right. 'I know this great place, it's only a couple of blocks away.'

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_ Dear Lemon, I hope you enjoyed this first chapter and start of this story. I will publish the second chapter this weekend. I wish you all a wonderful December filled with love and stories! I am looking forward to reading your stories this winter with a lot of coffee, Love from Love


	2. Chapter 2

Charlie can still taste him on her lips as they find a quiet place at the bar. The bar has an easy and down to earth feeling Charlie immediately likes. She realizes Bass was right. This _is_ a great place.

There is relaxed music in the background and the bar is full, but not too full. His shoulder is close to her right shoulder. This is Bass. A part of her brain whispers. _Bass_. She has always liked him. She has always been comfortable around him. But tonight, as their eyes lock and she knows what he can do to her lips _and her_ , she knows something is shifting between them.

She nervously licks her bottom lip as she has to look away from him _and his eyes_ as she focuses on the people around her in the bar who are enjoying their night and beers. She can feel his eyes on her and when her eyes connect with his again she feels how is taking her, _and all of her_ , in like he drinks his whiskey.

The rational part of her brain always tells herself not to get too involved when it comes to men. Maybe it is something hidden deep inside of Matheson DNA. For once she tells herself to try. To taste, to dive in and to have some fun. He makes it so easy, so easy, for her to give in.

Bass orders two drinks before Charlie can even ask the bartender for another drink herself. She looks at him as she raises her eyebrow.

'Hey, what can I say?' His eyes find her over his whiskey glass, ' I'm always a gentleman...' There is a smirk and a tease in his words that Charlie can feel swirling inside her belly.

Charlie snorts at him, with the memory of his hand travelling towards her breasts under her coat while he pressed her against the wall of that building with his wide thighs still lingering close. The subtle change in the blue in his eyes to something more dark and broody tells her he is thinking about exactly the same moment.

One whiskey, one bar and Sebastian Monroe are filling all her senses. The conversation flows easily again. When he listens, he really listens. When he talks, she finds herself interested. And when she talks, his hand find small ways to touch her. His fingers on her arm. His hand tucking back a lock of hair behind her ear.

He gives her room to be her, to talk. To tell him what she wants to tell without feeling she has to keep a part of herself locked away behind a heavy door. When it comes to men, that is a brand new feeling for Charlie. Bass has just ordered another round of drinks.

She catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror against the wall of the bar in front of her. She sees her own reflection and she is suddenly very aware of herself. Her cheeks and nose are glowing from the warmth inside the bar and the cold outside not that long ago. She feels embarrassed at how the winter cold messes with her skin and even more emberassed with the glowing red of her nose _. Great, she is looking like a freaking red nosed reindeer with that red nose of hers._ It is his voice that pulls her out of her thoughts.

'I think it's adorable, ' Bass teases her while he grins at her. His eyes go over her face and nose in a gentle way.

She punches him with a well placed fist on his upper arm.

'Fucking hell Charlie, Miles sure as hell showed you how to punch someone, huh' Bass grunts but there is admiration in his eyes.

Charlie just smirks at him. Bass decides not to tell her that the proud look on her face when he gives her that compliment is fucking adorable too. A pissed of Matheson is a moody Matheson and he is no mood for that shit tonight.

One moment he is having a drink with this smart, interesting and hot as fuck woman, the next moment he is watching how her whole face drops. Because mid drink, _he_ walks in.

Bass follows where her eyes are going as she turns her head away from him. Charlie feels a familiar dull pulsating ache inside her heart and stomach. She can feel Bass' eyes on her with an intensity that makes her wish he would not look at her now her past has found her as it just walked into the bar.

'You okay?' Bass' voice is close to her ear. Bass watches the nervousness on her face and he immediately decides he does not like it there. He watches how she licks her bottom lip in a nervous way. She refuses to meet his eyes for too long.

'I'm fine.'

The way she slams down her drink just like Miles would do when he is anything but fucking fine but is convincing himself and Bass he really fucking is, tells him she isn't.

He sees some full of himself punk walk towards Charlie. Tall, dark hair, all muscles and ego. He just walked into the bar surrounded by his pathetic boy band friends. One look and he hates the kid on sight. His jaws tense up when he takes a sip of whiskey and gives Charlie some space.

'Charlie...' Charlie hears his familiar voice before she slowly turns his way.

Bass notices the way her shoulders tense up and the lightness in her eyes that is so much like her, fades.

'Jason.' She nods at him, trying to keep her voice neutral and the pain of all the disappointment from the past that was the both of them together out.

'How are you doing?' Jason asks.

The punk keeps on talking to her and Bass already feels irritated as hell for the obvious way he is not respecting Charlie and her very clear way she is telling him to fuck of.

'What do you think?' Her tone is flat. She pushes back the anger and hurt she does not want him to see. She does not want to give him anything of herself anymore.

'Charlie..I'm sorry...I...'

'Just go Jason...' Charlie looks into deep dark eyes she once believed were going to be there for a very long time. Until it did not work anymore.

'Can't we at least try and be friends?'

'No, we can't. I asked you to go...just go.' Charlie's voice is still firm but Bass can see right through her toughness. Bass jaw's locks as he fights the need to shove his fist into the kid's face. He looks at the boy band wannabe in front of him.

'She asked you to go.' His voice matches the steel blue in his eyes.

'And who are you?' Jason asks with challenge in his eyes. The arrogance in his voice and whole god damn face triggers more irritation that is slowly turning into rage within Bass.

He slowly moves his glass to the bar in front of him as he gets up and stands face to face with Jason. 'I'm the one who is going to personally drag you outside this damn bar if you do not give her some space right the hell now.' There is threat in each and every of his words. 'She asked you to go, kid _. Go_.'

* * *

True Matheson style, Charlie pretends like nothing is wrong the moment Jason had left her alone. He has walked to a corner to sit and have some beers with his friends. It takes years of experience to see it, but Bass has plenty of experience when it comes to Mathesons. She is not all right. But he also knows pushing her won't work right now. She he keeps her company. Orders her another drink.

Charlie feels pathetic. She broke up with Jason after weeks of doubt and trying to find enough strength to end a relationship that was not working anymore. She is moving on, but Jason makes that impossible for her as they somehow keep on meeting each other and he keeps dragging her back into something that is not there anymore. She has tried to move on. She was able to handle his e-mails and voicemails. But meeting him like this moved everything right to the surface. It is desperately trying to invade her heart. Even though she does not want to give in.

And now, Bass is trying his best to cheer her up. And she feels even more pathetic. She feels stupid tears ambushing her as she stubbornly pushes them away. 'I'm sorry...'

'For what?' Bass waits until she meets his eyes.

'For making a giant mess of this night...I am sure you have better things to do than sit here with me.'

Bass flinches at the raw look in her eyes and the hurt in her words. 'Come one...' he nods to the exit as his hand is suddenly wrapped warmly and steadily around her shoulder. The warmth of the palm of his hand finds her through miserable grey memories and pain.

'Where are we going?' She asks when she has enough courage to look directly at him.

'My place...' Bass says when he pays for their drinks and grabs his jacket and her coat.

* * *

She has not said one single word on the walk back to his place. Her bag and her coat are on his apartment floor, laying next to his couch. She has found a spot in the left corner of his couch and has curled up there as he walks into the kitchen to grab a drink for her. He decides he can use one himself as well.

Charlie feels the shift on the couch when he sits down next to her. Her fingers connect with his briefly as he hands her a glass of whiskey. They drink in silence until Bass has to ask the question that is burning in his mind.

'Charlie...did that guy hurt you?' Bass shuts his eyes for one second for that one question that he has wanted to ask since he met that punk in the bar and he saw what happened in her eyes the moment that guy stood next to her. He just has to know so he can make plans with Miles to kill the damn kid in case that punk _has_ hurt her.

'Jason and I...it just did not work...he was so...he was just too much. I needed more space but he was always around. I could not breathe anymore around him.'

Bass nods. He had his fair share of relationships that did not work. And he knows about what a fucking nightmare they can become when they do not work. He keeps his mouth shut and lets her talk.

'His parents...every time I had dinner at his parents place, it was such a struggle. Julia..his mom...she would treat me like I was...' she has to swallow at the painful memories that are rushing back to find her again, '...like I was nothing and his dad, Tom... always had this grin on his face that gave me the chills. It was very obvious they did not approve of me and that they wanted someone else for Jason. It was so obvious they did not wanted me there.'

Bass has to swallow. He lets out a deep breath. He knows all about that feeling when he thinks about the disdain in Emma's mothers eyes or the coldness in her dad's eyes every damn time he sees them and tries to make something work that probably never will.

He hears how Charlie's voice breaks. He moves closer to her as he turns his body towards her. She is staring in front of her and the blue in her eyes is grey and clouded. Her face is pale with the threat of tears. 'I felt like I was always someone around Jason I wasn't...It just did not work.' She looks away from him with tears in her eyes and a pale face. 'I was never going to be enough for them. For him.' More tears are clouding the blue in her eyes.

Bass can't take more of her pain. He just fucking can't. He does the one thing his damn arms crave for right now. He slowly pulls her into his arms. Her temple moves against his scruff and her head finds the warm hollow of his neck. His voice is reassuring and low when he feels her sobs against her shirt.

'Sweetheart...you are enough.' He slowly brushes her hair out her face with gentle fingers. He lets her cry as he holds her. 'You are enough.' He shoves back the rage he feels for the way those they made her feel. _Fuck them_. He focuses on holding her through her pain as the sound of her sobs and her trembling shoulders fill his arms .

Charlie feels the comfort of a wide chest next to her as his arms are a strong protecting warm shield between her and the pain in every cell of her body that is the hurt the rejection. She lets him hold her close while his calming reassuring hand is brushing over her hair. His other has found a place against her shoulder blade.

'You want me and Miles to kick his ass?'

Charlie snorts through her tears and Bass lets out a relieved breath as he hears her smile again.

'Already did that myself.'

This time Bass laughs. He feels pride and awe for the woman in his arms. She relaxes more into his embrace as he feels her nose against his neck. So he sits with her as his fingers glide through her hair in comforting strokes.

* * *

She falls asleep on his couch. He slowly moves the tears away from her cheeks with his thumb. He is tempted to carry her to his bed, so she can get a decent night of sleep. But then she mumbles something in protest in her sleep as he tries to move her that is so fucking adorable that he has to bite back a smile. He decides to let her sleep on the couch. He does not want to wake her up and face Matheson retaliation for messing with her sleep.

Being fast asleep, she reminds him of Miles. She reminds him of a brother who can sleep anywhere anytime if he has or wants to. He looks at her, asleep on his damn couch. He walks to his bedroom to grab a blanket and he softly wraps it around her. He slowly readjusts the blanket around her. She kicks it away stubbornly and turns to her other side in her sleep.

'All right then...' He grumbles softly at all that Matheson stubbornness, even when she is asleep. He turns of the light that stands on a small table next to the couch and walks over to the comfortable chair next to the couch, _and her_ , as he moves up his feet onto his coffee table to get some sleep himself. He falls asleep watching her sleep and hearing how she is breathing evenly and slowly not far from him.

* * *

Charlie wakes up to the scent of coffee. She slowly opens her eyes with a yawn to find herself on a strange couch with a blanket wrapped loosely around her with his scent wrapped in it. _Bass._ She stretches with another yawn as she kicks the blanket away with her feet and a grunt. She hears him in the kitchen.

Bass is enjoying his coffee as he leans against the kitchen counter.

It is 7 am when she stumbles into his kitchen.

'Morning sunshine...' Bass teases. He gets a death stare from Charlie who mumbles something about backing of and coffee.

'A true Mini Miles...' Bass smirks. She looks pissed as hell as she makes herself right at home in his kitchen while she grabs a mug from a kitchen cabinet and pours herself some coffee _he_ made.

He has to fight the urge to place a kiss in her hair when he stands behind her. But 7 am and Mathesons do not go well together, so he decides to get some caffeine into her first.

'Shit.' Charlie curses suddenly while she looks at the clock hanging above the kitchen door. She enjoys one more sip of his strong coffee before she storms out of his kitchen. Bass hears her shout something from his living room. 'Work! Late for work...'

She moves her hair into a messy bun on top of her head as she reaches inside her bag to grab some lip balm to sooth her lips after the winter cold and his demanding hot mouth. Bass leans into the doorway of his living room with a steaming mug of coffee in his hands when he looks at her.

When she grabs her coat she suddenly feels unsure what to do next. She feels this urge to kiss him. Looking at his face he is unsure as well about what she will do next.

The last thing Bass sees before her mouth crashes on his is that big smirk of hers that lights up her eyes in the first morning light in his hallway.

'Good morning...' She smiles against his lips with a challenging wrapped in that smile that moves straight to his damn cock.

'Morning..' The roughness of his morning voice vibrates through her belly.

And with a mug of coffee in his hand and her taste on his lips he watches how she walks out his apartment and front door that early winter morning. As she walks to the elevator she turns his way one more time and they lock eyes as he soakes up her slow early morning smile.

* * *

 **Author's Note** Dear Lemon, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I was delighted to hear you loved the first one! I really wanted to write something special for you and to give you a very special Christmas gift. I am so happy you love this story. Thank you to all of you for your support, reviews, favorites and follows. Knowing you are there, means so much to me! Chapter three will be published Tuesday. Love from Love


	3. Chapter 3

Three mornings ago she woke up to the scent of strong coffee in his apartment. Tonight, she is enjoying a glass of red wine. Her fingertips are drumming in a steady but slightly nervous rhythm against the wineglass that fits perfectly in the palm of her hand.

Charlie is leaning against the kitchen counter, as her ellbows touch the coolnes of the counter, of the kitchen inside of the house she grew up in. And although things are not always easy with a mother that is smothering her with motherly care to cover up all of her guilt for losing herself in her work and a father who tries to fill the void her mother creates, this is still home.

She takes in the richness of the scent of the red wine her parents took home with them from their summer spent in high Italian mountains. Pale winter light streams in through the large kitchen windows and frost is playing its winter game with the window glass.

The kitchen, like the rest of the house, is filled with scents belonging to Christmas. Candles are burning everywhere and there is a fire in the fireplace Charlie spend many hours in front of with books of adventures in lands far away when she was growing up.

From her place in the kitchen she can see her dad and Danny catching up in the living room as there is lightness on their faces that adds to the slow content of the light buzz of her red wine.

She is enjoying a bit of Italian sun in her wine glass on a Chicago winter day but she is also worried. Because this late afternoon, she has walked into her parent's home for their annual Christmas dinner without a gift for Miles. She hates the whole idea.

Yesterday her phone had beeped. Bass had send her a message.

 _Took care of it. Trust me._

She had not been able to stop the stupid smile that had been ambushing her lips when she had seen the message on her screen. Somehow the low gruff of his voice was there with her in her mind when she had read his words. The second message had moved that smile into a full grin.

 _Don't worry. There won't be any strippers._

So right now, she tries not to worry and to have some faith in Bass. Charlie takes a deep breath as she leaves the sanctuary of the quietness of her parents kitchen with the glass of wine still in her hand. As she walks into the living room she is surrounded by Christmas decorations that have been there her whole life.

When her mother is about to walk to her, it is her little brother that intervenes with a knowing grin on his face. Danny walks up to her with a beer in his hand. Charlie remembers her little brother when it had been him and his small teddy bear. He had taken that small bear with him everywhere he went. Even when they took a trip to the grocery store, that bear had never left his side.

His teddy bear had been her ballerina shoes when she grew up. She had wanted to wear them everywhere she went, and Rachel had spent many hours talking that idea out of her head. Charlie's stubbornness had earned her many trips to the grocery store in those ballerina shoes.

And now, as time moved on, she is wearing black ankle boots and he is drinking a beer and he is getting ready to leave for college next fall. She sips from her wine as she looks with pride in her eyes to Danny.

'What's wrong, sis?' Danny asks, knowing that the small smirk on his sister's face can only mean trouble.

'Nothing...just look at you and your beer.' Charlie teases. Danny answers her with a poke between her ribs.

In the middle of her conversation with Danny, his eyes are waiting for her on the other side of the living room. There is a glass of whiskey casually in his hands as Bass is standing next to Miles.

Bass focuses on the bullshit joke from his brother but his eyes are occupied with a very gorgeous as fuck Charlie in a very short black dress. He has not seen her since she had left his apartment that early winter morning a couple of days ago. She had texted him later that day.

 _Thanks for letting me crash on your couch. And the strong coffee._

He had looked at her short message with a stupid grin on his damn face. He knew she was thanking him for much more than just letting her sleep on his couch. But she was still a Matheson and the whole gratitude thing was hard for them to put into words because of their stubbornness.

But it was all he fucking needed. It was also enough to remember her lush lips against his own right before she had to leave for work. It had also brought the memory of the sounds of her soft panting in that alley back. He had not been able to fall asleep that night after that sound had kept on repeating itself inside his damn mind. He had thought of her as he had found release with slow forceful strokes.

He listens to Miles and Ben. But he can taste her again when he sees her talking to Danny.

Charlie talks to Danny and tastes her wine. But her eyes keep on finding Bass. She can still feel the burn of his eyes going over her dress, and body, when he had arrived earlier this afternoon. She remembers the way he had to bite his tongue with that hungry look in his eyes that had made her blush and yet feel in control at the same time when his eyes lingered around her hips.

She knows there is no way Bass can know about the long warm bath and what happened inside of the tub right before she went to bed last night. The water had been warm and her muscles had relaxed when the warm water played with her hips. Her fingers had moved between her legs when she had remembered how in control he was over her and the moment he had pushed her against that wall when the snowflakes had melted on her cheeks. Her thighs had clenched around her hand when she let go with the endless images of what else he could do to her.

Miles is making some kind of joke as her dad jumps in and adds something to their conversation she cannot hear from where she is standing. But it doesn't matter, because she is thinking of that warm water in her tub as she can't keep her eyes away from him.

Nora is standing next to Miles. As far as Charlie can remember she is the first woman Miles has ever introduced on an occasion like tonight. When her dad had opened the front door even he had been stunned for a second before he had invited them both inside his home the way Ben Matheson invited people to his home. With warmth and inviting words.

Charlie had enjoyed the hell out of herself at the way Miles was shuffling on his feet in the doorway next to the radiant young woman next to him.

She could have teased Miles with this, but something inside of her had decided against it. The warmth in Nora's eyes and the way Miles looked at her prevented her from mocking his heart. When Charlie had introduced herself to Nora, Miles had looked the other way and she could see something vulnerable and strong at the same time in his eyes. She had known then and there how much Nora meant to Miles.

She liked Nora immediately. She likes the relaxed version of her uncle when he is with her even more.

Nora's eyes find Charlie's across the living room. 'If you'll excuse me boys...' She nods to Miles, Bass and Ben with a strong smile that is playing around her full lips before she walks over to Charlie.

'You look beautiful in that dress, Charlie.' Nora tells her with warmth and a spark in her deep eyes. She is making an effort to get to know Charlie and Charlie enjoys talking to her. She enjoys Nora. Nora is though, beautiful, strong and smart. But most of all she is not afraid to share what she thinks. It is a powerful combination and she understands why her uncle fell so hard for her.

'Thank you.' Charlie smiles as both woman share a glass of wine.

Rachel joins them. She looks at Charlie before she looks at Nora with something cooler in her eyes. There is a faint twitch around Rachel's mouth.

Rachel's voice is polite, too polite, when she looks at Nora. Both woman pretend they do not see how Rachel looks at Miles before she looks at Nora again. 'Anything I can get for you?' The moment she takes before she speaks again is filled with distance. ' You want another glass of wine?'

'Nah, I'm good.' Nora answers without blinking or looking away. 'But thank you, Rachel.'

'All right...' Rachel's voice is soft and sharp. She smiles to Nora and Charlie and walks back to the kitchen to check on the turkey that is waiting for them in the oven.

'I'm sorry about my mom...' Charlie starts to apologize for her mother as she feels the tension that had been radiating of her mom now inside her own stomach.

'Don't worry about it.' Nora says as she shrugs, but her eyes are strong and burning with the things Nora knows for sure in her life. 'Things...people...they can be complicated. Don't apologize for her, that's not your job.'

Charlie doesn't know what to say as she nods at so much of strong kind honesty coming from Nora.

She catches Miles' eyes who is walking over to them. She watches the way Miles looks at Nora when he stands right behind her. 'He really likes you.' Charlie grins.

'Yeah, I guess he does.' Nora winks to Charlie. Miles is putting an arm loosely around Nora's middle. His gentle fingers stroke her belly as he presses her against his chest in the middle of the living room. She looks up to meet his eyes. 'Don't worry, I won't tell anyone.'

She slowly presses a kiss on his mouth before he can say something. Charlie grins at all the uncomfortable tension in her uncle's shoulders and eyes right before he closes his eyes and his mouth moves over hers.

The door bell rings. Everybody keeps on talking and drinking. But Charlie feels how her heartbeat picks up as a sudden wave of warmth inside of her. She sees the question in Bass' eyes when her eyes connect with his longer than necessary.

'I'll get it...' Charlie offers. She puts down her glass of wine on the small table near the couch. She feels his eyes following her through the room.

When she opens the door there is a tall man in the doorway. He is trying to shake the snow out of his hair with his right hand.

'Hi...' Charlie says, immediately at ease with his kind smile.

'Hi... ' Deep eyes find hers when he looks up. 'You must be Charlie...,' He shakes her hand. 'Sorry, I'm so late...traffic was a bitch in this weather.'

One grin and one line and she can definitely see the resemblance. She grins at his honest openness. 'All right then, you'd better come in.'

'Charlie?' Ben is suddenly standing behind her. He looks at the guy that is standing in front of his daughter. 'Who's this?'

'Dad...I want you to meet Connor. He's Bass' kid.'

Ben's face lights up with recognition. 'I'm so sorry, of course you are. We haven't seen each other in years..forgive my bad manners, ' Ben reaches out his hand for Connor to shake. 'Ben Matheson.' He nods to the warmth of the living room behind him. 'Come in, we were just about to start dinner. And my wife made more than enough to feed half the city.'

Ben closes the door behind Connor and he walks back into the living room. Connor looks unsure for a second as he is still standing in the hallway. 'Charlie?'

'Yeah?'

'Thank you for inviting me..things between my parents..they have been bad. Like real bad. It means a lot you called.'

'No problem, come on... let's get you some whiskey.' Some of the nervousness leaves Connor's eyes as he nods at her with an appreciating grin.

Charlie hears her father's voice coming from inside the living room, but her eyes are only on Bass the moment she steps into the living room with Connor. She bites her bottom lip, hoping she made the right decision with this Christmas gift for him. She can see the change in his eyes as emotions start to cloud the blue of his eyes that he is so desperately trying to swallow away. She feels the joy of his tears deep within her as everything he feels is close to her heart as well.

'Connor..' The smile appearing on Bass' face is starting in his eyes.

'Dad..' Connor grins as he closes the distance between them and Bass pulls him in for a strong long hug.

'What..' Bass swallows again as he wishes he did not sound so pathetic, because Miles will give him hell for all this emotional crap later. 'What are you doing here?'

'Well, Charlie invited me, and I guess I just wanted to spend this Christmas with you. And Miles. And all that whiskey you keep on talking about every time we talk on the phone.'

Bass looks from his son to Charlie. And then to Miles. Who is doing his fucking pathetic best not to meet his eyes for too long. In that one moment he knows Charlie talked to Miles. And somehow, she has found out about how much he craved to see his kid for Christmas.

Ben walks towards Connor. 'Welcome kid, we are happy you are here.' His hand is now on Connor's shoulder.

'So... not that I am not enjoying all this mushy holiday crap, but can we please eat. I'm kind of hungry.' Miles says drily and with a sigh.

Charlie's eyes light up when they all walk to the table and Bass' eyes tell her so much as his fingers are messing with Connor's dark curls.

Rachel look's on her face screams not amused when her carefully arranged Christmas table is being attacked by a pack of hungry wolves. Ben is with her quickly. 'We'll just improvise Rach...' Ben says, when he sees the stress on her face as he walks her to her seat. 'Let's just enjoy all that food you worked so hard on to get ready for tonight, all right?'

* * *

Christmas dinner is light and warmth and a table full of people, wine and whiskey. Charlie looks at the people close to her heart that are gathered around the table. Danny and Connor are talking about Danny's college plans as Connor shows kind interest in the youngest Matheson's plans for the future. Miles' arm is behind Nora, as his wide arm is resting casually on the back of her chair. Her dad is enjoying his turkey as he talks to Bass about some work stuff. And then she watches Bass. Just him and only him. And in the middle of his conversation with her father he is looking at Connor with warmth and pride in his eyes. They eat, they talk. They are together and share a Christmas Eve when fresh snow is falling outside.

Ben gets up to get another bottle of wine for his guests. When he passes Charlie he moves his hand over her shoulder. He presses a kiss in her hair and they both watch Bass and Connor. 'You did good, Charlie. Glad you are home tonight, kiddo.'

Ben Matheson caresses her hair with pride in his eyes for his daughter and the woman she became.

Charlie feels tender warmth inside of her for the way her dad looks at her. She places her hand over his. 'Me too, dad. Me too...'

* * *

After dessert everybody enjoys more drinks around the fireplace. Bass does not hesitate when everybody is distracted by plenty of booze . He nods to her to meet him in the hallway.

'Well this is all very secretive.' Charlie smirks. She takes one more look over her shoulder to make sure nobody followed them. Bass pulls a small bag out its hiding place behind the coats in the hallway.

'Here...' He hands her the small bag.

Charlie frowns at him. 'What's that?'

'Miles' gift.'

'Yeah, I am afraid I need a little bit more than that.' Charlie looks at the wrapped gift the size of a book inside the bag.

'Not gonna happen.' Bass grunts lowly with his mouth suddenly close to her ear.

'I can think of a couple of ways to make it happen,' She tilts her hips towards him as she feels a surge of heat for the way his eyes darken a bit when her body connects with his thigh.

Bass groans. He nuzzles her hair with his nose 'You just have to have some faith in me, Charlie.'

And right before she is sure he will kiss her right there in the hallway next to the coats he pulls back. 'Living room, now.' He orders.

'Well, look at you, ordering me around like a pro.' Charlie grins.

'Yeah, well maybe one day I will do something with that amazing skill set,' he snarls, annoyed and turned on as hell at how close her hip still is to his damn cock, with Ben and Miles in the other room.

But then there is something burning in his eyes as he looks at her with a hot gaze in his eyes. 'But for now...march that damn fine ass of yours into the living room.'

Miles immediately notices the both of them as they walk back into the living room. 'Aaaand what were the both of you whispering about like a couple of housewives?'

'Nice Miles...very nice.' Bass rolls his eyes at him.

'Yeah, so...the both of you could continue to act like a couple of five year olds..' Charlie says with a firm voice as Connor hides his grin behind his hand for her taking no bullshit from his dad or Miles 'Or..' her eyes light up as she hands Miles her gift, 'you could open this.'

Miles looks surprised as Ben and Nora look at him. Charlie can feel Bass right behind her.

'What's this?' Miles asks, a nervous frown appearing on his face as he is unsure what the hell is happening.

'It's your Christmas gift.' Charlie smiles.

'Thank you, captain obvious.' Miles sighs but with a warmth in his deep eyes.

'Well, come on...' Nora nudges Miles, who is sitting next to him. 'Unwrap it.'

Charlie holds her breath when Miles unwraps the gift in his hands. She sees a small part of a memory in a long forgotten picture first. And then, Miles is holding a wooden photo frame in his hands. She can see the emotions in his eyes that are swirling inside her heart as well.

Because inside of the wooden photo frame there is a picture of Charlie and Miles and a shared a memory from many years ago. Charlie is smiling towards the camera with a proud grin as Miles looks with a dangerous look on his face into the camera. They are both holding fake plastic swords in their hands as Charlie had demanded an afternoon of playing knights and castles. Without the princesses.

She has no idea where Bass has found this picture as the warmth of that afternoon of adventures and brave knights in fairytales lands rush back to her. She sees tears pool in Miles eyes and needs a second herself for so much affection in Miles' eyes. His eyes are still glued to the picture in front of him.

Bass is watching his brother and Charlie, as he is taking in them both. He can see the genuine smile on Miles' face. That smile he knows by heart and that his brother rarely shares with everyone. Somehow Charlie is one of those rare people who always manages to put that damn smile on his brother's face.

Charlie turns his way and she looks at him with tears and gratitude in her eyes. There is a small and almost invisible nod towards him hidden in her look, but he sees it anyway. His eyes glow with her gratitude and the look on his brothers face.

'You like it?' Charlie asks as she looks at the picture again and then to her uncle.

'Are you kidding me?' Miles smiles with the photo frame still in his hands. He gets up and walks over to her. He embraces her with a strong arm around her shoulders and another hand that he wraps around her hair. 'Best gift ever, kid.'

* * *

She finds him outside on the porch as the evening is slowly moving towards midnight. He is drinking a glass of whiskey while he is looking at the snow falling around the house. The snow is like a veil around them and it's slowly hiding the contours of the skyscrapers of Chicago in the distance. It is quiet outside. And it just him and her and one porch. Charlie crosses her arms before her chest as she slowly walks up to him. Her breath turns into small visible clouds of winter air.

She leans into the banister behind him as her hip touches his thigh. He is close enough to touch his scruff as her fingertips ache to follow the line of his moustache. Instead, she follows the line of his jaws with her eyes until his eyes are there waiting for her to find.

'Hey...' his voice is warmth in the middle of the winter cold around them.

'Hey...' The light of the snow is reflecting quietly in her eyes.

'I don't know what to say Bass...that picture...I love it. Thank you..' her honest gratitude tugs at his heart. He nods to her, telling her it was his pleasure.

She looks at the snow as she hears her own giggles as an echo memory through time. She sees Miles again, so close to her heart as he is following her through the house on their adventures, in a memory from far away now wrapped around her to visit her again. 'I loved knights and castles..'

Something smug filled with a lot of pride falls over his face. 'Yeah, well...Miles and myself might have been knights or pirates a couple of afternoons as well. You know, maybe.'

Charlie grins widely at that thought.

'Oh, and did you have matching Pirate hats and swords? Because I think that would be adorable.'

'Hey...watch it...' Bass grunts to her.

He watches how she takes a sip from his whiskey without even asking him and god, he swears his heart swells looking at the ease they are sharing his glass of whiskey on this porch tonight. They both watch the city in the distance as more snow falls.

Charlie sees something broody in his eyes before Bass looks away from her. His eyes find a spot right next to his boots. Then he looks up and there is an honest hoarseness in his voice. 'Thank you...you have no idea what you gave me tonight, Charlie. You have no idea how much I wanted to spend some time with Connor this Christmas Thank you for giving me time with my kid.'

Charlie feels how stupid tears break free because of so much of his heart he gives her right there on one porch.

'I wanted to get you a gift as well, ' Charlie softly says as he is somehow standing close to her suddenly. 'I hope you don't mind I talked to Miles about Connor. Miles was in bad mood when he picked me up to grab some food. I knew something was bothering him. I kind of gave him no choice until he told me what the hell was going on.' She sees Bass chuckle. 'And he told me what happened. He told me how hard things are between you and Emma. He told me how he wished things were differently for you. He told how hard you are trying. I am so sorry Bass. '

She waits for his eyes to really connect with hers to give him some time to be and breathe. 'And I guess I figured out pretty quickly what I wanted to give you this year.'

Bass looks at her, with the warmth of a fire slowly burning in a fire place on a cold winter day in his eyes. His hand cups her cheek slowly as he claims his mouth with his warm lips. She can feel the tension in his jaws. She kisses it away slowly. His tongue slowly wraps around hers as he feels how she leans into him and surrenders to him with a low release of her breath against his mouth.

Suddenly the kitchen door opens and they both break the kiss abruptly as they look right into Miles' face. The expression on his face moves from the start of horror to being not amused and then to the start of some good old fashioned rage with many promise of death threats in it.

'What if I told you this is not what it looks like?' Bass tries, as he swallows, noticing Miles is really fucking close to him and Charlie.

'So you are not kissing my niece?' Miles says, with contained rage in each and every word of his voice.

Bass chuckles as Charlie bites her bottom lip at this whole situation and at the sight of a not amsued pissed off Miles. Miles is about to say something. But before Miles can explode, the three of them hear Ben in the kitchen. And then they hear Rachel's voice in the background and no one is laughing anymore.

'Holy shit.' Bass grumbles.

'Oh hell...' Miles looks over his shoulder with widespread panic in his eyes.

'This...' Miles hisses as he waves towards Bass and Charlie on the porch. 'This did not happen. Are we clear?'

They have barely enough time to nod to him before Miles shuts the door with a loud crashing sound and they both looked stunned at the closed kitchen

* * *

 **Author's Note** I wanted to introduce Nora in this chapter because I have so much love for her character. I really like her together with Miles. I decided to approach Miles' affair with Rachel as a thing that belongs to the past. I think Nora is such a strong and beautiful woman and she will take care of his heart. I wanted to give them a chance to find honest real love. I love Christmas and the warmth it can bring so I loved writing the suprise at the front door part as well. Dear Lemon, I am so happy you are enjoy this story! I hope you liked this chapter too. There is one more part of the story to tell and I wanted to give that chapter to Bass and Charlie. I will publish that chapter next Thuesday. Thank you all for your support! A very merry Christmas to all of you, Love from Love


	4. Chapter 4

Bass is leaning into the doorway with his hand casually in the pocket of his jeans as he watches Charlie from across the living room. Sometimes she meets his eyes before she turns them back to her brother. It is driving him fucking insane.

Both Connor and Danny are having a very good time with their bottle of whiskey on the couch in front of the fireplace. The whiskey _and_ Connor's and Danny's stories about their victories with several woman are keeping them company. They sit with grins on their faces after they stole one of the finest bottles from Ben's collection.

Bass takes one look at the label of the bottle and shakes his head with a slow grin that is attacking his mouth quickly. Miles says something about how annoying those stupid dumb kids are these days the moment he sees exactly which bottle they have selected for their little whiskey binge.

Bass and Nora exchange a smile when Nora sees the label on the bottle as well. The woman knows her whiskey and he appreciates that about her.

When Ben joins them in the living room, he is not amused as well. He frowns as he mumbles something about Christmas and both of them being young once. Both Miles and Bass are grinning like hell but nobody says anything after that. Because the three men know with exactly what kind of hangover Connor and Danny will have to pay for their whiskey theft in the morning.

Bass knows Ben remembers how he and Miles would do the same when Miles' old man was asleep on the couch. He knows because he would join them on the small square in the centre of Jasper and they all would hang out and share the bottle on a couple of steps that were there as long as they all could remember.

The subtle gleam of amusement in Ben's eyes tells him they have the same memory on their minds. Ben turns to Bass.

'Your kid can sleep in the guest room,' Ben grins to Bass as he reassures Bass he is not going anywhere with the amount of whiskey Connor has in his system.

Miles stares at Connor as a relaxed amused grin falls over his face. 'Yeah, I'll doubt he ever makes it upstairs in that condition.' Miles says drily.

'I am sure Ben will throw a blanket over him,' Nora smiles when she moves her arm around Miles' middle. Her nose nudges the hollow of his neck.

Bass and Miles both watch another Monroe and Matheson with a bottle and a lot of bluffing and bullshit stories when it comes to woman with the same pride in their eyes. Seeing Connor and Danny together brings them both back to Jasper, and to beers and easy summers and days of friendship.

Bass pats Miles on his back.

'Cut it out man...' Miles says, annoyed. Bt Bass does not miss the gentle shift in his deep eyes. Miles retaliates by shoving Bass who does the same.

'All right...that's enough gentleman.' Ben grins, realizing they might not be living their lives in Jasper, but that his younger brother and the man he still sees as his second brother never actually grew up.

'He started..' Bass growled with an easy smile in his blue eyes. Miles rolls his eyes at him.

When Charlie walks to the both of them she rolls her eyes at the both of them. Not much later, she hugs Nora and her dad goodbye.

'Call me...' Nora moves her slender but strong arms around Charlie, 'We'll grab coffee sometimes.' Then she moves her lips closer to her ear. 'Or some wine so we can catch up about those two over there.' She nods to both Miles and Bass.

There is something in her eyes that tells Charlie Nora knows about whatever it is that is happening and shifting between her and Bass. Charlie has not got that many girlfriends and there is something in Nora's friendly warmth that makes her smile and realize she would love that wine of coffee.

'And if you'll excuse me know, I'll go home home to have some fun with your Uncle.' Nora winks as Miles groans something in agony.

'Sure...enjoy.' Charlie smirks, hugging Nora before both woman let go and Ben walks to his daughter.

'Night kiddo.' Charlie pulls Ben close as the familiar scent of Matheson men embraces her.

'Night dad...' Charlie mumbles into his neck. His voice is a soft whisper through her hair as it reaches her ear when Ben Matheson tells his daughter he loves her.

With a slow grin Charlie turns and then says goodbye to Miles. She decides that one hug, the one from earlier tonight, is enough for her uncle Miles but then he moves his arm around her shoulder before he wishes her goodnight.

Miles looks with a slow gentle depth in his eyes to his niece. That all changes when said niece walks up to his best friend.

Miles looks pissed again when he realizes his niece is going to put her arms around his best fucking friend. Bass watches Charlie walk his way and he knows exactly what the hell is coming.

But Bass knows that if Miles is going to open his damn mouth about whatever the hell that is happening between him and Charlie, he _wil_ l open his. Bass always has and always will have his brother's back but if Miles is going to give him shit about this, while he and Charlie are trying to figure some shit out, he will not hesitate to remind Miles of how he has always been there to support him. And that he would follow his brother into whatever hell.

Bass watches how Nora moves her hand a bit closer around Miles middle as she gives him an understanding nod. Bass smiles at her, thankful for the strength in her heart that is Nora. She is strong, smart and is taking no bullshit from everyone. She is also the one that yanked his brother out of his affair with Rachel. Showing his brother how love can be as well. He likes Miles around her and he hopes they both make it.

Miles keeps his mouth shut although there is a clear warning in his eyes when Bass feels Charlie's sweet scent and soft curves against him as she hugs him goodbye. A message Bass understands. _Hurt her and you are dead_. He gets it. He would feel the same when it came to her if he was in Miles' position.

And then, there is now death glare from Miles that is occupying his mind. It is only her.

'Had a good night?' Bass grunts when he finds her eyes.

'Yeah, I did.' Charlie nods, a smile around her lips.

He is fucking happy she did. After the break down on his damn couch his heart broke for her. He cares for her, he is not afraid to admit that. He fucking knows. He has enjoyed himself many times, with the mental images of his shoving his fist into that Neville's kid boy band's face.

'Goodnight, Bass.' Her breath caresses his scruff and there is something in her eyes that is messing with his head. It is a slow inviting desire hidden in the content blue of her eyes that messes with his head and a certain body part.

He fights to yank her even closer as her warm belly makes contact with his groin. His voice is slow warmth when his hand moves to her lower back and his mouth makes contact with her temple for a slow almost invisible brush of a kiss. 'Goodnight, Charlie.'

His eyes follow her all the way to the front door.

* * *

Bass leaves Ben's and Rachel's house not long after Charlie does. He ruffles Connor's hair as a goodbye. Connor shoots him an annoyed glare. It is something he has been doing since Connor took his first steps. Bass still loves hit, Connor still pretends he hates it.

'Breakfast tomorrow, kid?'

'Sure dad...' Connor grins.

'Yeah, he is so not going to remember that tomorrow.' Miles grins to Bass. He pulls Nora closer to his side with a strong arm around her shoulder.

After goodbye's ,a strong hand shake from Ben, a rare arm around his shoulder from a slightly drunk brother, a last minute jokes and a warm smile from Nora and a shit eating drunk grin from both Danny and his kid, Bass walks into the Chicago night .

Her wishing him goodnight and the slender curves of her body are on repeat on his damn mind. There had been something heated lingering in her eyes that he has not quite figured out. With her on his mind his boots hit the snow under him.

The street is silent when he walks to his car. It's cold as hell. Before he can even think about grabbing his phone to give her al call, because he just cannot help himself, someone stops him.

'Hey...' her voice in the silent snowy street startles him as he looks up from his phone to find her leaning against his car. Charlie's voice contains a kind of hoarseness he has never heard coming from her.

The slow predatory hot as fuck smile that he finds on her face makes his cock respond. She does something with her lips and eyes that makes his eyes lock with the anticipated lust.

She does not even blink and there is a heated blue in her eyes . 'You want to unwrap another gift?'

Bass feels a grin the size of the entire city appear on his damn face as he has to think exactly five whole seconds about that offer. 'Hell, yeah.'

* * *

Her panties are on his bedroom floor. His jeans and shirt joined her black bra, now forgotten. His bed is warm. They have no idea what time it is as the night is deep and dawn is still far away. His sheets are under her. Her fingers play with his dark blonde curls as his mouth finds the warm soft skin of her neck.

'I have to say...,' whiskey and his want for her make his voice sound hoarser than Charlie has ever heard, 'you really know what to give a man for Christmas, Charlie.' Her name rolls of his lips with shameless want.

He nips at her neck with his firm lips. His voice is hot against her skin as there is a hungry grin on his face.

'Are you having fun?' Charlie teases with a grin when she sees how his eyes light up.

Bass moves his mouth lower, while he is leaning on one elbow next to her body that is connected with his chest and thighs when he lays on his side next to her. He places a kiss on her shoulder and then devours her right breasts as his eyes move to her eyes. 'You have no idea...'

She feels the heat of his mouth moving lower and lower until she cannot control herself any longer and a moan fills the room as he licks the lines of her left breast. Bass' chest fills with her moan as his hard lust for her is pressed against her thigh. His mouth claims her smooth belly.

He smirks against the smooth skin of her belly as she arches her back to greedily ask for more. He soaks up the feeling that it is him who can make her slowly give in to his touch. And he has barely started. That thought makes his cock twitch with that sense of power against her thigh.

Images of her stubborn hot as fuck grin, her in that alley between his damn legs, her vulnerable tears and the way she fell asleep against _his_ chest and in _his_ arms fill Bass with even more lust as they all crash together in deep want for this woman in his bed. He needs to conquer her. Now.

When his mouth finally moves over her clit and she feels his warm breath first, followed by the wet warmth of his tongue, Charlie has to give in as she gasps and mumbles something that gets lost in another moan.

Bass hears his own name wrapped in her almost obscene free moan. His ego and cock respond to her as he is slowly losing his restraint to feel his cock between to the wet wild warm inviting place between her thighs he can taste on his damn lips and fuck her right the hell now. He grunts and tells his dick to slow down. This is for her.

'Fuck..Charlie...' His tongue circles her clit as his finger slowly slips inside of her.

It is not just the way he licks her. It is not only the way he touches her. But it is the control in his movements and the sight of his strong shoulders between her thighs that makes her lose control. She moves one of her hands over her belly that forgets to travel north to her breasts as she lets out another moan. Her other hand finds his left shoulder and her fingers dive into his skin when she comes against his mouth and with Bass between her thighs.

'God...Bass...' Charlie breathes as his hungry eyes finds her dazed eyes. She keeps on panting his name in her mind although she is not sure if she is saying his name out loud or not. It doesn't matter. It is all of him touching and playing with her that is left anyway. She just breathes and comes and all there is, is Bass right now.

Bass sees the storm of her orgasm in her eyes. He is with her in a heartbeat. He moves to gather her in his arms. He has already decided he will make her come again. Images of him buried inside of her make him groan as he kisses her aggressively. She is still panting when her hot fingers disappear between the both of them and her slender skilled fingers wrap themselves around his cock.

The moment she adds more pressure and starts to stroke him Bass curse fills his bedroom. 'Hell...yeah...so good...'

Charlie feels a powerful smile spread around her lips as she watches how Bass Monroe is not able to form any coherent sentences.

They both are hungry for each other's touch. They kiss and lick and taste each other as Bass moves her leg around his waist and Charlie hungrily moves her other leg around his hip right before he fills her slowly.

'Got you...' Bass grunts in her ear.

And then, with a bruising kiss she shuts him up as her hips demand more of his deep thrusts.

* * *

Another orgasm makes it impossible to think about anything other than his hand that is slowly stroking the inside of her arm. She feels the lazy feeling of every single touch and lick and thrust that Bass poured into her body. She is filled with everything he did to her.

Bass can take in her scent, _their scent of lust and need and grunts,_ that lingers around them as warmth through a cold December night. He pulls her closer to him with a possessive arm around her shoulders until he has her right where he wants her. Satisfied and warm and entangled in his arms. She is silent, her head close to his chest, as she is listening to his steady strong heartbeat close to her ear.

It is a clear winter night as the city is wrapped in the cover of night and little lights burn behind the windows of the high skyscrapers around them. The light of the moon illuminates his bedroom and her face with soft pale light.

She looks up to find his eyes. She has blushes on her cheeks that have nothing to do with the cold outside. 'So, can I spend the night here?' She teases him, while her fingers move over the hard lines of his chest. She takes in the scent of his skin. Her breasts are pressed against his side.

Bass looks at her with a mix of ego, want and burning care in his eyes and his fingers claim her by moving over her arms as his voice sends shivers through her spine.

'What makes you think you have got a choice?'

* * *

 _The End_

* * *

 **Author's Note** Dear Lemon, I hope you enjoyed this conclusion. I loved writing this December story. It was such an honor to write this for you. Thank you so much for your friendship and for the inspiration from your prompt that started this whole story. Thank you to Threemagpies, for being such a strong and fantastic friend. And thank you to all of you for your support and reviews. They mean the world to me! I will publish a one shot in the new year that is linked to this story, because I loved writing Nora and Miles together here. I love their characters and I decided to write another one shot about two other December hearts and what happens when they arrive at Nora's place this December night across town. Sending you all much love, Love from Love


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